Efraim F. Burle (Photo: Courtesy Photo)

Whether you are part of the graduating class of 2020 or have only been practicing law for a short time, COVID-19 may have disrupted your career trajectory. However, rather than falling into despair, this is the time to double-down on your efforts to advance toward your goals. This article sets out several tips on career development during these unprecedented times.

Develop an Online Networking Strategy

There are two factors in your favor during COVID-19. First, social distancing means that you are asking for a brief phone chat as opposed to grabbing a coffee with someone. Second, most people are home with minimal travel or commute time, increasing your odds of having your message be seen and responded to. Accordingly, it is a great time to develop and execute an effective online networking strategy. For starters, use LinkedIn to find alumni from your college and law school, and narrow your search by legal industry and geographic location. Next, try to create a direct message and email template that you can use to reach out to individuals. You should be polite, brief, and aim to set up a brief phone call for you to ask questions and seek advice. Further, be on the lookout for virtual job fairs and similar events that can connect you with recruiters and professionals in your target industries. When using online job boards, use search terms strategically, incorporating words such as "work from home," "remote," and "urgent."

Increase your Skills and Abilities

An economic downturn and pandemic may translate to downtime while working from home or being unemployed. In either case, you now have more free time to learn new skills and increase the value that you are offering your perspective employer. Do some research on what certifications or degrees you can complete from the safety and comfort of your own home. These may include an online LLM, or a massive online open certificate (MOOC) from a reputable university or organization through websites such as Coursera, EdX or HarvardX. When you eventually land an interview with your future employer, you will be a more attractive candidate if you can demonstrate a productive and meaningful use of your time during hardships.

Be Systematic in your Approach

While it may be a cliché, it is important to treat a job search like an actual job. This means setting schedules and to-do lists for yourself on a daily and weekly basis. It can be helpful to set up a spreadsheet to organize lists of perspective employers and leads, and to continuously update your progress. A good start is to get an objective evaluation of your resume from a hiring partner, a connection that works in human resources or a career coach; you want to ensure your time sending out applications is not in vain. Strongly consider making multiple versions of your resume that are tailored to the employer based on the words that they use in the job description. Next, take a look at your online presence and ensure that all social media is private, and your LinkedIn is professional and up to date. Last, when you are fortunate enough to land an interview, do as much research as possible about the employer and their recent news, the industry, and be prepared to discuss how you can offer tangible value.

Consider Which Industries and Companies Are Growing

Depending on the area of law you are looking to work in, there may be firms or organizations that offer expertise on that area of law for a specific in-demand industry or clientele. For example, if you want to work in commercial litigation, you can tailor your search to firms offering commercial litigation services to food and beverage companies, which historically perform well during economic downturns. It is strategic to stay informed regarding economic and industry trends and use foresight to tailor your career search to areas that are most likely to grow and need new legal talent for their future.

Manage Your Expectations

Attempting to advance your career during these unprecedented times can be a frustrating process, and a part of this frustration is having your ambitious expectations unmet. You should remember that in difficult economic times, more competitive candidates are applying for the same positions as you. For example, young attorneys that would otherwise work for Am100 firms or federal agencies might be struggling too, and in turn, are competing with you for other jobs. This being the case, it is important to manage your expectations, and consider alternative opportunities such as working for a nonprofit, virtual internships, temp work through an agency, or freelancing. Again, you will be a more attractive candidate to a future employer if you can show that you productively used your time during this pandemic and gained meaningful legal experience, as opposed to remaining unemployed until your dream job came along.

This is a difficult time for all employers and job-seekers, and young attorneys are no exception. It is important to stay positive, gritty and methodically advance onward to attain your career goals.